Dusting equipment



Dec. 13, 1960 Filed Sept. 28, 1956 C. W. BRITCHER DUSTING EQUIPMENT 4sheets-sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Dec. 13, 1960 c. w. BRITCHER 2,953,994

DUSTING EQUIPMENT Filed Sept. 28, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Dec. 13, 1960 W, BRITCHER 2,963,994

DUSTING EQUIPMENT Filed Sept. 28, 1956 lCf-- 25 I 7i 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTO R N EYS Dec, 13, 1960 Filed Sept. 28, 1956 C. W. BRITCHER DUSTING EQUIPMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oti ice 2,963,994 Patented Dec. 13, 1960 DUSTING EQUIPMENT `Charles W. Britcher, 65 High St., Glen Ridge, NJ., assigner to Herbert Cole Trust Filed Sept. 28, 1956, Ser. No. 612,621

12 Claims. (Cl. '107--9) The present invention relates to the art of food manufacture, more particularly to the dusting of individual portions of food product, generally for the purpose of preventing adhesion while in moist or tacky condition in the course of processing, one important application being to the make-up procedure preparatory to entering the oven in the mass production of bakery products including bread of various types, rolls, biscuits, cakes and pies.

Where ilour is used as the dusting medium in bakeries, since :the flour readily mixes with the water in the dough, a relatively large amount of flour is required for each portion, especially for loose or wet dough, to assure the requisite dryness for preventing adhesion to the make-up equipment.

yIn addition to the use of such large quantities of our being uneconomical, since a relatively large amount of the our adheres to the relatively wet dough, as most of the moisture in the dough is subsequently evaporated in the baking oven, the our used for dusting reverts substantially to raw iiour, which accounts for swirls, cores and dust holes frequently appearing on the inside of the loaf or other bakery product and also results in objectionable dust marks on the crust.

Where excess powder accumulates in the proofer or other make-up equipment, frequent stoppage is required for cleaning with resultant neicieney of the equipment.

Where powder escapes into the air and settles on the iloor or on the equipment, such powder is wasted and in addition oating dust may cause respiratory disturbance.

As our is subject to insect infestation, especially in the overhead proofer and also throughout the make-up department, the use of our requires preventative sanitation measures such as the use of insecticides and fumigants, entailing the need for particular caution in food processing plants.

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide a method and equipment that is simple, and not likely to become deranged, by which the dough pieces in their travel through make-up equipment, may be uniformly and adequately dusted with the use of powder in volume, but a small fraction of that requiredwhere ilour is used, wherein theV need for frequent cleaning is obviated, wherein lthere is no loss of dustingpowder in the atmosphere, and consequently no respiratory difficulty and no'waste of powder anywhere in the plant, wherein there is no likelihood of insect infestation, and the need for insecticides or fumigants is eliminated, and by the use of which swirls, cores or dust holes within the bread or the bakery product and dust marks on the crust of such product are avoided.

Another object is to provide an equipment for spraying dry, ground or powdered material in a manner to form a cloud with the material therein substantially lseparated into individual particles, which equipment is of simple and rugged construction, having a minimum number of moving parts which are not likelytobecome derange@ and which will operate without clogging and without escape of the material being sprayed into the atmosphere.

Another object is to provide a rounder to be used during the make-up procedure for the manufacture of bread, which rounder will readily dispense a cloud of powdered material against the surfaces thereof contacted by the doughbeing processed as well as against the dough pieces themselves and which facilitates removal therefrom of excess powder beyond that which adheres thereto and to the dough pieces traveling therethrough.

Although starch, such as corn starch, as a dusting medium in lieu of wheat ilour, for bakers dough during processing, is known to have certain advantages, among which is that it will not support insect life, the use of starch for such purpose has notheretofore been regular commercial practice, for the reason that corn starch tends to pack, lump or agglomerato when it is attempted to sift it upon the dough pieces, so that the required even distribution of such dusting powder is not attainable.

According vto one feature of the present invention, the use of starch as a dusting medium has been rendered highly practical on a commercial scale by entraining the dry starch powder in a stream of air into dusting chambers near and in communication with each of those portions or stations of the make-up equipment where dusting is required, thereby to assure uniform adhesion of such powder over the exposed surface of the dough pieces.

According to another feature, suction is eifectively applied at the dusting chambers to withdraw collected air with excess of entrained powder beyond that which is taken up by the equipment and the dough pieces carried thereby; the excess powder being thus recovered for reuse.

In a preferred mode of carrying the invention into execution, dry starch powder is directed into a stream of gas, desirably air, and preferably dry air which forces such powder through conduits leading to `the interior of the dusting chamber, thereby establishing a cloud of powder in such chamber, for uniform dusting with relatively iine particles of the chamber contacted by the dough pieces therein and of Vthe dough portions themselves. The air stream in addition to entraining the powder through the conduits also draws the ambient air into the conduit eiecting enhanced dispersion of the powder for more eicient dusting action.

In equipment in which the dough is subjected to the action of a rotor, as for instance in the rounder of breadmaking equipment, the dough pieces may pass through an associated dusting chamber extending laterally with respect to the rounder and pass to the proofer, the suction being applied to such chamber remote from the 4inlet thereof.

This application is a continuation-impart of copending application Serial No. 334,915, led February 3, 1953 on which Patent No. 2,869,482 was issued 0n January 20, 1959.

In the accompanying drawings in which are sho-wn one or more of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig'. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of a conventional make-up 'equipment for a bread baking,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a rounder according to the invention, A

Pig. 3 -is a lf ront elevational view o f the duster,

Fig. 4 is a detail view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a iront elevational view o f the powder magazine, Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the powder-magazine, A

Fig.l 7 is a view takenv along line 7-7 of jFig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a detail view on an enlarged scale showing the discharge tube and ejector Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the spiral rounding trough of the rounder,

Fig. l is a perspective view of a discharge nozzle,

Fig.-l1 is a sectional view taken along line 11-11 of Fig. 2, and v Fig. l2 is a sectional view taken'along line 12--12 of Fig. l1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Fig.

a portion of a generally conventional make-up equipment for bread baking. Thus, there is a divider D in which dough is cut into pieces for the individual loaves and delivered by a conveyor C laterally into a rounder R. The dough pieces are discharged from the rounder R onto a conveyor C which delivers the dough pieces into an elevator' E that moves successive dough pieces into a proofer P Vfrom which they are fed to subsequent stages of the make-up process before ultimate delivery to a baking oven (not shown).

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention herein shown, a duster 20 is associated with the rounder to dust the dough pieces therein processed.

As shown in Fig. 3 the duster 20 desirably comprises a substantially rectangular box-like housing 21 suitably mounted in upright position as by legs 22.

Mounted on the front panel 23 of the housing 21 and extending outwardly therefrom is a powder reservoir or hopper 24, the mouth of which has a hinged cover 25. The lower ends 26 of the front and back walls 27 of the hopper and the lower portion 28 of side wall 29 thereof taper inwardly to define substantially a funnel to facilitate discharge of powder through the port 31 leading from the hopper to the outlet in the lower end of side wall 32.

Atllxed at one end in outlet port 31 which leads from the hopper 'is a horizontal powder vdischarge tube 33, the free end of which mounts a baille member 34. As shown in Fig.'8, the baille member is cylindrical at one end 'as at 35 so that it may snugly encompass the free end of tube 33, the latter abutting at its lower edge against a lip 36 extending transversely across the baille member. The lower portion of the baille member is a mouth 37 through which will fall the powder passing over the lip 36. AMeans are provided to eiect discharge of powder from --magazine 24 through tube 33. To this end, a collar 38 encompasses tube 33 and is adjustably secured theretoas by set screw 39. Afllxed to said collar 38 is an electrical vibrator unit 40 of well known conventional construction, one familiar form of which is marketed under the trademark Syntron, the position of which with respect to tube 33 determining the'rate of flow of powder fromV hopper 24.

The mouth 37 of baille member 34 is positioned directlyover the mouth 42 of a funnel `43, the lower end 44 of which is secured in the upper portion of a substantially i' cylindrical recess 45 in an ejector member `46. As shown in Fig. 8, the ejector member comprises a block'47 secured to a bracket '48 mounted on front panel 23 of the housing 21. The block 47 has transversely aligned bores 49, 50 in communication with the lower portion of the Arecess 45, the bore 50 having va nipple 51Y associated therewith to which one end of a pressure line 52 may -be connected. Mounted in bore 49 and extending into the described, into a collector 66positioned beneath the Yhousing 21.

The' pressure line 5 2- S GOnneeted to 'attiug 67 to 4 which branch pressure lines 68 are connected, such lines leading to the rounder R.

The rounder R, illustratively shown in Fig. 2, is of the type put out by Baker Perkins, Inc. of Saginaw, Michigan and comprises a rotor 71 illustrated as a truncated cone having its smaller diameter portion at its upper end, said cone being rotated by a suitable drive motor (not shown). Supported over the cone 71 is a spiral rounding trough 7 2, the lower edge 73 of which is spaced from the surface of the cone with but slight clearance. The trough 72 rises as it spirals around the cone so that its lower end 74 is at the inlet to the rounder into which the dough portions are introduced by the conveyor C (Fig. 1).

According to the invention the upper end 75 of the trough 22 is adjacent the inlet to transfer station 76 from which the rounded dough pieces are discharged from the rounder.

As shown in Figs. 2 and l1, the transfer station or chamber 76 comprises a substantially rectangular casing 77 supported by brackets 70 from the conventional llour dusting box 70 of the rounder. The lower edge 78 of casing 77 is inclined so that it is complementary to the inclination of the cone and is spaced therefrom with but slight clearance. The side walls 79, 8G of the casing 77 have transversely aligned openings 81, 82 therein, the latter defining the inlet to the transfer station. A conventional rejector bar -83 extends transversely between the walls 79 and lSil and is spaced from the cone 71 by a distance such that oversize dough pieces cannot pass thereunder, but will be guided by said bar through the opening 81 in wall 79 so that they will roll down the cone along trough 84 into box S5 to be collected for reprocessing.

The front wall 86V of the casing 77 has an opening 87 with a chute 88 extending outwardly from its lower edge and a curved cover or hood 89 extend-ing outwardly from the upper portion of said opening -87 is aillxed at -its longitudinal edges to said chute 88 to define a Ydusting chamber 91. Desirably, the portion of chute 88 adjacent opening 87 has perforations 93 therein through which powder may fall to dust the cone 71 in the manner hereinafter described.

Aillxed to the upper edge of the trough 72 adjacent the end 75 thereof is one end of a bracket arm 96, the free end of which has an opening through which the threaded portion 97 of a nozzle 98 extends, said nozzle being fixed in position as by nuts 99. The lower end of the nozzle 98 desirably has an integral dellector plate 101 thereon against which the powder passing'through the nozzle is directed. Desirably the nozzle 98 is connected through one of the branch pressure lines 68 and fitting 67 (Fig. 1) to pressure line 52 positioned so that the powder will be guided by the deilector plate `against the portion of side wall 79 of the housing 27 between opening 81 therein and opening 87 in front wall 86 against which the dough pieces are hurled as they leave the trough 72, by the rotary movement of the cone 71.

A, second nozzle 98' identical to nozzle 98 and connected to the other branch pressure line 68 desirably ex- 101 positioned so that -it directs the powder against the recess is abnozzle 53, the outer end 54 of which is connected by line 55 through pressure .regulators56 which per i dough'pieces as they roll down the chute 88.

' 'To collect excess powder which does not adhere to the dough pieces and which does not pass through therrperforations 93 in the chute 88, the cover V89 has an opening 105 adjacent its outer end outwardly of nozzle 98' which is 'connected by conduit 65 to the Vsource of suction (not shown) in the duster housing 21.

In the operation of the system with the nozzle 98 VYdirected toward the side wall 79 of the transfer chamber 76 and the deilector plate 101 of the nozzle 98' directed toward the upper portion of the chute v88, the vibrator 40 v is electrically energized; the source of air under pressure is appliedf'to'dehydrator unit 59 andthe source of suction connected@ conduit 65.

As a result of the vibration, powder from v(the hopper 24 will be discharged through port 31 alongthe length of pipe 33. By reason of the lip 36, the powder in the pipe 33 pile up inwardly of the lip so that powder will drop at relatively small rate over such lip into Ithe fxmnel 43 therebenea-th. The rate of ow of the powder may readily be controlled by adjusting the position of the vibrator unit 40. Thus, if the set screw is loosened and the collar rotated so that the axis of vibration of unit 40 is -in a horizontal plane there will be a minimum ow and with the axis of vibration in a vertical plane there will be maximum flow. Y

As the powder falls into the funnel 43, by reason of the air jet from nozzle 53 it will be forced through outlet port 50. By reason of such air jet, a venturi action will be created which will suck such ambient air into the outlet port through the funnel 43-thereby preventing a cloud of powder forming above the funnel and providing additional air in the stream of powder yand air flowing through outlet port 50 and line l52 for enhanced dispersion of the powder.

As the streams of air and powder are discharged from the nozzles 98, 98' and strike the deflector plates 101 and 101', such streams will be guided against the side wall of the transfer chamber and the upper portion of the chute respectively.

When such streams of powder and air leave 'the nozzles 98, 98 by reason of the expansion of the air, a cloud will be formed containing relatively small nely divided particles of powder and such cloud will fill `the transfer chamber and the dusting chamber.

In practice, the dry air which delivers powder to the transfer chamber and dusting chamber is fed at rate in the order of l5 cubic feet per minute while the suction means in the casing 21 will draw at the rate in the order of 300 cubic feet per minute. Thus, the powder particles that do not adhere to the dough pieces or pass through the perforations in the chute S8 will be sucked from the interior of such chambers along with ambient air so there is no likelihood of dust escaping into lthe room, yet the suction will in no wise 'interfere with the effective and thorough dust coating of the dough pieces.

The dough pieces which are thoroughly dusted in the chamber 91 will slide down the chute 88 onto conveyor C' to be moved into the elevator E and thenceinto the proofer for subsequent steps in the make-up operation.

While the methods and systems above described have certain advantages even with the use of flour as the dusting powder, including particularly the uniformity of application and the recovery of excess powder beyond that which is taken up by the dough, the maximum advantage is attained where powdered starch, desirably fine corn and preferably fine wheat starch, is used instead of our.

Since starch does not readily wet with water, it will settle out when mixed with water. Unlike the difliculties pointed out with the use of dusting flour, a reaction occurs in the oven with the use of dusting starch, much the same as in the gelation of corn starch pudding. In addition, the action of heat, acid or ferments, all three of which occur in the oven, results in the conversion of starch into dextrin and some of its sugar derivatives. This accounts for the elimination of cores, swirls and dust holes in the baked product where starch is used as the dusting medium. Moreover the use of such dusting medium further results in an improvement of color, thinness, tenderness and uniformity of crust.

In use of the system a make-up equipment for a bread bakery would in full-capacity operation, processing in the order of 100,000 pounds of dough in twenty-four hours, consume only in the order of 125 pounds of dusting starch, that is, one-eighth of one percent by weight of the dough being processed. This is but 20 to 25 percent of the weight of dusting powder consumed, where our rather than starch is used for the purpose.

In practice, the vibrator 40 would be adjusted so that the feed powder is at rate not greatly in excess of that actually consumed. The air pressure to nozzle 53 would ordinarily be 2 to 2.5 pounds -per square inch but might be as .high as 6 to 8 pounds per square inch or even higher to deliver the greater amount of starch required for eiective dusting of a loose or wet dough.

A dough piece dusted by the system of the present invention becomes uniformly coated over its entire surface with substantially the thinnest possible layer of starch and substantially without excess. The dough thus becomes entirely dry to the touch and non-sticky and will not shed starch in ordinary handling. The blowing of an excessive amount of starch through the nozzles 98, 98 would not materially increase the amount of powder applied to the dough, but would render operation more cumbersome by necessitating more frequent emptying of the collector 66.

By reason of the fact that starch does not support insect llife, the use of starch as a dusting medium dispenses entirely with the need for insecticides or fumigants.

There is no need for cleaning the proofer, although it is desirable to remove the few pounds of dusting starch that may accumulate therein after some weeks of continuous operation. Such removal once every six weeks or so of continuous 24-hour use is adequate. This is to be contrasted with the need for cleaning at least weekly, resorted to where Hour is used as the dusting powder.

The procedure and equipment for drawing excess starch beyond that which is taken up by the dough pieces from the dust chambers to a collector, avoids the accumulation of dust and starch throughout the make-up department and avoids respiratory diliculties to the workers since the air is not powder-laden where the present method and equipment are used.

While the invention has been described particularly in its 'application to the make-up equipment of a bread or roll bakery, it is understood that it applies also to sweet doughs such as biscuits, cake, pies or the like. The inventionalso has application in somewhat analogous relations where the food product is moist or tacky in the course of processing, as for instance for dusting marshmallows, ygrain pulled mints and chewing gums in the confectionery industry. It also has application to other food products, such as for dusting meats or Vthe like with mono-sodium glutamate or similar preparations.

While one illustrative portion of conventional bread make-up equipment has been shown and described, it will be understood that the invention may be applied to other portions of such equipment as well as to equipments of any character for such general use. Por any application there would be a dust chamber of the general character described at each of the locations where dusting is required, all fed from on or more sources of dusting powder and pneumatic pressure. In general, but one dusting chamber is required at each of those elements of the make-up equipment that require dusting.

As many changes could be made in the above method and equipment and many apparently Widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letter Patent of the United States is:

1. A bread rounder comprising a rotary conical member, a spiral trough encompassing a portion of said conical member, said trough having its inlet end adjacent the base of said rotary member and its discharge end adjacent the top thereof, La transfer chamber adjacent the upper end of said trough, said transfer chamber having an inlet in a wall thereof in communication with the discharge end of said trough, whereby upon rotation of said rotary member dough pieces will ride up said .trough and be discharged into said tnansferchamber, said transfer chamber having a discharge chute in communica.- tion -at one 'end with the interior of said transfer chamber 'and 'extending outwardly therefrom, a hood, encompassing said discharge chute defining a dusting chamber, saiddough pieces sliding down said chute through said dusting chamber, means to ejecta streamv of` gas, and powder -into fsaidrdus'ting chamberto form a `cloud of powder therein and; means toY provide a suction to said dusting chamber to remove excess of powder ybeyond that which adheres to'the dough pieces passing therethrough;

' 2; The combination recited in claimy 1 in which means vare providedto direct va'miirture of gas and powder against 'the wall ofsaid transfer chamber opposed to the inlet.

. 3.. The' combination recited in claim 1 in which a dislch'argefnozzle is affixed to the spiral trough adjacent its discharge end, and means on said nozzle to directa stream V-of gas` and powder therefrom through the inlet of said transfer chamber against the opposed wall of said transfer chamber. y Y

'Y 4.*The combination recited in claim 1 in which the means'to eject a stream of gas and powder into said Vdusting chamber comprises a discharge nozzle in said dusting vchamber between the ends thereof, said nozzle having means at its inner end to direct the stream of gas and powder therefrom toward the end of said dusting chamber adjacent the transfer chamber.

5. The combination recited in claim l in which the means to -eject a stream of gas and powder into said dusting chamber comprises a discharge nozzle in said dusting -chamber between the ends thereof, said nozzle having Fmeans at its inner end to direct theV stream of gas and :powder therefrom toward the end of said dusting chamber adjacent the transfer chamber, and a second discharge nozzle' is provided aixed to thespiral troughadjacent itsldischarge end, andmeans onsaid second nozzle to directa stream of gas and powder therefrom through th'ei inlet of said transfer chamberY against the opposed 'wall ofsaid transfer chamber. Y

,anne combination recited in claim, 1 in which me discharge chute has perforations therethrough-adjacen lthe transfer chamber.

7;V Dusting equipment comprsingapowder reservoir having 'an outlet at its lower end Iand a discharge tube extending laterally from' said outlet, an ejector vunit positionedbelow the' .free end of said tube, said ejector unit comprising" a member having `a recess therein vertically alignedwith the free end of said tube, a nozzle extending transversely into said recess, said recess having an outlet portV transversely aligned with said nozzle, means tov dis- 8 charge a stream of powder from said reservoir through said tube to drop into said recess between the nozzle and the outlet port, whereby when gas under pressure is applied to said nozzle, a mixture of such gas and en- Vtrainednpowder will be blown through said outlet port.

8. The combination set forth Yin claim 7 in which a funnel'is provided having its discharge end positioned in said recess and its mouth positioned below the free end of said tube and spaced therefrom.

9. The combination set forth in claim 7 in which a baflle member is associated with the free end of said tube, said baffle member including a -lip rising from the `lower portion of such free end whereby the powder owlip. 10. The combination recited in claim 7 in which the means to discharge a stream of powder from said powder reservoir comprises a vibrator unit in operative relation with said tube near the lower end of said powder reservoir.

11. The combination recited in claim 7 in whichathe means to discharge the stream of powder comprises a collar encompassing said tube and adjustably secured thereto and a vibrator unit carried by saidcollar.

12. The combination recitedin claim 7 in which the reservoir comprises -a box-like chamber having a substan tially rectangular upper portion and having the outlet at the lower end of one of the walls thereof and having the lower portions of the other walls tapering inwardly .toward the outlet.

References Cited'in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 903,584 Kohier Nov. 10, 1908 1,283,512 Herr Nov. 5, 1918 1,401,795 Kohler etal. Dec. 271921 1,661,775V Streich Mar. 6, 1928 1,910,536 Guggenheim May 23, 1933 2,028,410 Rapisarda Jan. 21, 1936 2,047,430 Plambeck July 14, 1936 2,331,510 Schijf Oct. 12, 1943 2,451,096 Kooman Oct. 12, 1948 V2,505,243 Hewitt et al. Apr. 25, 1950 v 2,614,528 B'ritcher Oct. 21, 1952 v2,642,821 Hettinger June 23, 1953 OTHER REFERENCES v Corn Starch Dusting, The Bakers Digest, June 1953,

pages 33 and 34.

ing through such tube will be backed up therein by such 

